The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-05-08
THE ENGINEERS STORY

| WIG OeACA o1Qc VI MS u1OUIus EcEAopS
you've seen the line. Curves and grades
on it are enough to make feller's hair
stand on end. twas just married then,
and Nell and were just about as
happy as we could be. the only draw
back to our happiness being the fact
that had to rud the late express every
other night up to Fabyan's, and the
accommodation back the hey dIv. Nell
used to be afraid 10 Lave me go, and
used TO worry every night. knew she
did, for the road was new. and accidents
would happen in spite OF everything.
But the pay was good, and so | stuck
BY.
| We'll, one night in January-One.
my off nights-the superintendent sent
for me and SAID:
Jim, there's party OF Boston men
want TO go up through the N ountains
TO night, and we'll have to run spec
lal. Can you take II? | know it's your
! night of, but III make il an object to
you
e,ssW~l, III go says I. of course, but
it's gong to be u bad night up there
Tina: so, nj afraid says, he. But
the directors say they must get through
atlJ way. anu L KNOW can rev On you
To get them through
so went back home and told Nell.
| never saw Nell act so cut up about
anything. 1t seemed as.if she couldn't
let me go, anyhow, though she was uSu-
ally very brave.
But cheered her up and laughed at
her fears as well as | could, and she
helped me off with face that tried to g
smile. And as l went out she said:
IF you must go, you must. But.
| finn and such queer look came over
ner-do be careful at the Curve Noun
| tain cut
Il scarcely heard what she said, for L
was already outside the door, and the
snow was blowing in my face like fun.
But was soon aboard my machine and
backing into the station.
AT 10 O'Clock we turned On the
steam and started. 1t was fearful
night. I've seen terrible weather in the
mountains, but never knew an engine
to tremble in the wind as she did that
night. We had the night of way over all
the other trains, and were only TO STOP
once for water. So opened the thr3t-
tie and just let her go.
"The mountains on winter night are
q good deal different from what they be
on simmer day, let me tell you. They
loom up twice as high, with their snow
covered sides, and seem like big, glum
giants standing guard over the valley.
The silence and desoiation awe you, and
it didn't seem right 10 go shrieking and
steaming along the way We did that
night. The storm had let loose all the
evil splrits IN the air. and the wind
swept down with force that could be
heard above the noise of the train. 1t
whistled aud vel ed at the cab window,
and the great trees rocked and seemed
| to hold out their long arms in warn ing.
Either the wind and the nigh or some
thing else had been depressing me all
: the way, and as we got fairly among the
mountains l felt an awful weight of
anxiety on my mind. | left my post in
minute and looked anxiously over the
machine. wondering if there could be
anything the matter with her, though
she was as stanch and true always as the
sun. All at once, under the gloom of
the majestic mountain sides, my Wife's
words came back:
Be careful at the Curve Mountain
cut
%. nonsense! says L. I'm a fool.
Ii there wss anything wrong the Up
train two hours ago would have found
it out and signaled u.s.
But, in spite of me, that Be careful
at the Curve Mounttii cut kept ring
| ing IN my ears.
amt naturally snperstitious. and
didn't know what to mage of myself.
And to prove that | wasn't put on all
the steam. aud the way we whizzed
along was q caution"
"a tall white birch on spur of the
mountain Was land mark that showed
the curve cut. | determined to put her
through the cut at full speed, and put
my hand on the throttle to pull open
the valve, when-as true as I'm living
NANNY wife's voice whispered in ny
ear: Not that one, Jim-the braker
ut started me so, did not knt W
what l was doing. And before l knew
! 1t had opened the Westinghouse for
all she was worth. The train came to a
stand-still, and before Dan (hs was fir
ing for me them could ask question,
had jumped off the cab and was out on
| the track.
mot thing was out of place; every
rail secure, and the cut was all right as
far as l could see.
"'Idiors. says-I to myself so much
for nonsense; but 1t will cost you your
place
come out to see what was the matter;
and, more to avoid meeting them and
owning my silly fears than anythir &
else, walked on little.
Just round the curve was great
tree trunk, blown across the track. Go
ing nearer ! saw 1t wasn't tree at all,
but stick of timber, and it was fastened
down to the rails
IF I'd rushed out as l meant to We
chould have been thrown down a pre-
cipice hundreds of feet among the rocks.
II tell you, my hair stood on end for
minute.
Whats up?' says the conductor,
coming up with the other boys.
Nothing. but that saws [, pointing
to the track. In two minutes We would
every one Of Us been down there on the
rocks-that is, our bodies would. |
reckon l didn't pull her up any too
quick
We'll, more grateful set of men than
them same pompoUs, big .Bostoni4ns
were you never saw. And this watch,
an elegant gold one, too good for me
they gave me. a peep into the jaws Of
death puts rich and poor on the same
level.
"Thep wouldn't let me leave thei-
party, but took me on to Montreal and